GregB

What I had was not bad ... column of 15th century knights on horseback on open country dirt road viewed from the rear, photo realistic, --no crosses spears --ar 16:9 --style raw A small tweak was intended using this VARIATION ... close up of long loose column of 15th century medieval knights on horseback galloping away on country dirt road in open countryside, flowing horses tails, viewed from the rear, photo, realistic, --no spears --style raw --ar 16:9 Great for Bollywood, but nowhere near what I wanted ... or expected!!

TWO recent examples ... a) medieval longbow archer, photo, realistic, --ar 16:9 THese are just 4 out of probably 36 ... I've been unable to get ANY completely logical archery images. b) using ‘Vary Region’ to replace perfectly presented medieval knights on horseback with ‘longbowmen archers and men-at-arms’ ... ... WTF?! I was literally stunned and slack-jawed for several seconds when this appeared.

Thanks for the heads-up ... I had assumed the lack of a linked thumbnail was just processing lag. Tried to fix now ... the thumbnail appeared but has now gone, leaving the relevant amount of space!! Tried again ... SEEMS to be OK this time.

It is with great relief that I have finally made and released a video to accompany “Agincourt” from “The Flat White Album”, my 30-track opus. It is my longest ‘music video’ to date (11:33) and is almost 3 years ‘late’ due to lack of available imagery, but the very recent change of affairs is explained in the description below the video. It uses 150 AI-generated images (approx 99% of the running time content!).

Great idea. Make it for all AI (not just images). 😀

Hi. I've just posted this elsewhere (I had forgotten about this Club ... which I started!). But I'll post the videos HERE very soon, along with some details about how I created them. E.g. issues, actual prompts, transferring the images from the web app to my local machine, and two installable apps that are free and quick to batch-convert PNG to JPG as well as batch upscale x4. Greg

The AI journey continues. "Hard To Say I'm Sorry". I've finished the video (which mixes stock video with AI-generated still images) and I'm just waiting on the track to be finished (hopefully approx 1 week) ... I'll post about the video then. "Agincourt". One of two tracks so far without a video from my 30-track album "The Flat White Album", purely due to lack of variety/quality of relevant medieval imagery times (Agincourt was c.1415). However, having cut my teeth in Midjourney 5.2 with "Hard ..." video, I now felt more confident. I ended up with 150 images that more-or-less fitted the 'film' I had always had in my mind, and the 11:33 video is now completed, bar a few tweaks. Although, believe me, my confidence was often shattered by the idiot-savant nature of AI. For example, archery/longbows appear to be a blind spot (so I gave up on such prompts), while there were other occasions when the AI seems to have actually gone mad ... a) medieval longbow archer, photo, realistic, --ar 16:9 b) using ‘Vary Region’ to replace perfectly presented medieval knights on horseback with ‘longbowmen archers and men-at-arms’ ... ... WTF?! I was literally stunned and slack-jawed for several seconds when this appeared. Greg

My “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” cover is 99% complete ... a classic ballad but with my own music/lyrics forming the first third. I’m now turning my mind to its music video but am finding that my usually reliable pool of visual ideas seems to have been concreted over! So then I thought, "I wonder if the ChatGPT AI could have even an inkling of what I’m after"? Well, Lo and Behold, it has given me some solid ideas. Not only free, but done in seconds. No doubt, in a few more months, AI could even generate the video itself! But would I have too much creative pride to use it??? ... now THAT is a troubling question, Grasshopper. ME: Describe some scenes that could be made with stock footage/stills that could make a music video for the song "Hard to say I'm sorry". ChatGPT "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" is a classic song by the band Chicago, known for its emotional and reflective lyrics. To create a music video that complements the song's themes of love, regret, and vulnerability, here are some scenes that could be made using stock footage/stills: Romantic Montage: Show a series of stock footage clips portraying happy couples in various stages of their relationships: holding hands, sharing intimate moments, laughing together, and walking in scenic locations. Broken Promises: Use imagery of shattered glass or broken objects to symbolize the broken promises and mistakes that have led to the need to apologize. Distant Memories: Show old photographs or faded film reels capturing moments of joy and togetherness, highlighting the nostalgia and yearning to go back to a happier time. Longing Glances: Use close-up shots of individuals looking contemplative, lost in thought, or staring out of windows, conveying the idea of yearning and the difficulty in expressing regret. Symbolic Gestures: Show hands reaching out towards each other but just missing, symbolizing the longing for reconciliation and the difficulty in bridging the emotional gap. Changing Seasons: Create a visual metaphor by showing the changing of seasons from winter to spring, symbolizing the hope for renewal and healing in a strained relationship. Lonely Walks: Depict a person walking alone in an empty park or on a desolate street, highlighting the isolation and sadness that can come with relationship troubles. Writing Letters: Capture scenes of someone writing letters, crumpling them up, and starting over, reflecting the struggle to find the right words to express regret. Rainy Moments: Utilize footage of raindrops falling on windows or umbrellas, symbolizing tears and emotional turmoil. Reconciliation: Conclude the video with shots of two people slowly walking towards each other, eventually embracing and reconciling, capturing the essence of the song's message of healing and forgiveness. Musical Performance: Intersperse the narrative scenes with shots of the band performing the song, adding a sense of authenticity and emotion to the video. Close-up Expressions: Focus on close-up shots of individuals' facial expressions, capturing the complexity of emotions ranging from sorrow and regret to hope and determination. Home Footage: Incorporate snippets of home videos or handheld camera footage, creating an intimate and personal touch that emphasizes the genuine emotions of the song. Remember that the key to a successful music video is to create a visual narrative that resonates with the song's lyrics and emotions. The scenes should enhance the viewer's connection to the music and amplify the themes being expressed. 2 / 2 "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago is a heartfelt ballad that deals with themes of regret, reconciliation, and the difficulty of admitting one's mistakes. To create a music video that complements the emotional depth of the song, you could consider incorporating the following scenes using stock footage and still images: Flashback Memories: Open the video with sepia-toned or slightly desaturated images that represent memories of happier times between a couple. Show scenes of them laughing, enjoying outings, and sharing intimate moments. Breaking Apart: Transition to more muted and darker tones as the relationship begins to experience tension. Use shots of the couple arguing, walking away from each other, or looking distant and sad. Lonely Interiors: Show empty interiors of their shared spaces, emphasizing the void left after a breakup. Shots of an untouched table for two, an empty chair, and a half-empty bed can effectively convey the loneliness. Messages and Letters: Incorporate shots of handwritten letters, texts, or emails. Show close-ups of words like "I'm sorry" and "miss you" as a representation of the characters' attempts at communication. Symbolic Objects: Utilize objects that hold sentimental value in the relationship, such as a piece of jewelry, a stuffed animal, or a photo frame. These items can be featured prominently to evoke emotions of nostalgia and loss. Reflections and Regret: Use scenes of raindrops on windows or mirrors to symbolize tears and introspection. Show the characters looking at their reflections, conveying a sense of regret and self-evaluation. Changing Seasons: Incorporate footage of changing seasons to mirror the emotional journey. Use spring blossoms and summer sunsets for the happier memories, and transition to autumn leaves and winter snowfall to reflect the cooling emotions. Strangers in Crowds: Intersperse shots of the characters in busy public spaces, surrounded by strangers. This can emphasize the feeling of isolation even in a crowd and highlight the absence of the person who was once so close. Attempts to Reconnect: Show shots of the characters attempting to move on while still clearly longing for each other. They might pass by places they used to visit together, or be shown separately visiting a place of shared significance. Reconciliation and Forgiveness: The climax of the video could feature scenes of the characters finding their way back to each other. Use shots of them hesitating, sharing a heartfelt conversation, or finally embracing as the chorus reaches its emotional peak. Moving Forward: Conclude the video with images of the couple rebuilding their connection. Walking hand in hand, sharing smiles, and creating new memories together can signify hope and healing. Fade to Black and White: As the song draws to a close, fade the visuals to black and white, and use a still image of the couple holding each other closely, symbolizing their rekindled love and commitment. The key to a successful music video for "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" is to capture the emotional journey of the song's narrative using carefully curated stock footage and still images that resonate with the lyrics and mood of the music.

You can only compare your stuff to the songs you've heard and therefore take appropriate care NOT to have copied anything. It's simply impossible to know the millions of tunes/lyrics out there ... so don't worry about it. Remember that Paul McCartney was worried sick that he'd stolen "Yesterday", which came to him in a dream. FInally, unless you're a million-seller (i.e. you've made some serious dosh) why would anyone bother coming after you? Greg PS. If it's a simple song, these guys have already computer-generated every permutation of notes and note rhythms and store them on a disk (all that is required to 'prove' copyright). They did so to help anyone who is sued for plagiarism. Article: https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2020/02/every-possible-melody-has-been-copyrighted-stored-on-a-single-hard-drive.html TED-X talk:

Music seems a ludicrously facile expression of the terrible Ukrainian situation, but I was struck that humanity keeps repeating the micro and macro failures of the past. We all thought Russia's aggression in Europe post-WWII had finally run its course after the fall of the Berlin Wall, that there was a blossoming of peace, and a real feeling of optimism was spreading everywhere. Now, Russia has resumed its old ways. China too has increased its belligerence. (North Korea goes without saying!) The music release itself was posted and discussed in "Showcase" (Oct 16, 2022) https://forums.songstuff.com/topic/57145-running-from-red-extended-mix/. Only now, four months later, and feeling a little edgy due to not having any other creative projects simmering, I decided to have a crack at the music video for the track. As mentioned elsewhere, I've always found difficulty in find enough quality/relevant imagery from my handful of limited cleared-to-publish sources to tell any visual story that I imagine. Now I had to find roughly double the quantity for a track which is 8:20 long! However, I learned long ago to accept 'make-do' with what I have. The final visuals are good enough. A few are compelling/emotional. There is no attempt in the story to be self-righteous and preachy. The 'Red' here can also be equally applied to the flags of the USA and its 'running dog' allies, including the UK (my birth) and Australia (my home) who, with only immediate political expediency in mind, have shown they will invade, bomb (indiscriminately killing civilians), bully and coerce governments, and assassinate individuals in other countries, all in the pursuit of power, influence, resources, etc. ... usually under the supposed guise of 'self-defence'. Isn't that exactly the same as what both Russia and China do? If you have any questions about sources, editing, etc., I enjoy discussing the technology and decision making. PS. The original video (which I actually prefer) is below and in which I created a video prologue to give it historical context, i.e. the sounds were NOT part of the original album release. I decided to change its YouTube status to UNLISTED (only those with the link can find and see it) as, back in 2015, I could not be 100% certain that everything was cleared for use. This problem made me become really anal regarding my future documentation of sources, creators, and usage rights. Cheers, Greg

"Synthetic plastisoid notes symbiotically, life’s existence in digital chronology" Who said AI lyrics weren't original? Or were you just putting a Hex on me?

Seems so. See ...

Yep. And AI has started to do this a billion times faster and will be doing it a billion times over.

This para was obviously NOT typed by an AI! 'Pretty'? Are you on Fans Only? 😄 As to my post, it was more to highlight that the streaming platforms, the gatekeepers themselves, are now not only generating tracks by the bucket-load but also promoting this pure-AI content to the exclusion of human creativity. This was simply an alert to members who might NOT be aware of such developments. Other than unfair control of the market, like you, I too accept that everything evolves. Greg

If you are easily depressed, DO NOT READ. As a retired IT person, I've kept abreast of AI developments, and the last 3-6 months has seen an explosion in the ability to easily and quickly generate high quality artwork, code (in your choice of program language), and reams of well-written well-structured text (like articles on almost any subject you chose). This is all achieved through text prompts which the models use to mine and alter results from databases containing millions of examples. There are at least a dozen major competing AI models and, this year, the changes have been coming through thick and fast, e.g. jumps in models from version 1.5 to 2.0 to 2.5 have been released in a matters of just a few months. Many of these models are free to use under some restrictions, but the paid versions are only a few dollars/month. Most people thought that quality artwork could never be AI-generated. But it CAN! The early problems with weird human faces, hands and feets are now mostly fixed. Most people thought that well-written text explaining any complex subject could never be AI-generated. But it CAN! Video is next, though currently more problematic due to the sheer processing grunt required (e.g. multiple images transitioning smoothly). MUSIC generation by AIs has already been shown to produce quality results. Easily tailored to be formulaic, such music can be made to appeal to less-than-critical listeners ... i.e. the majority of music consumers. Many streaming platforms now seem to be hell-bent on producing tracks by the tens and hundreds of thousands and then, what is even worse, promoting such tracks on their own platforms ... thereby get the streaming PLUS royalty revenue ... to the increasing exclusion of human-created music. The following article has more depth ... https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/another-music-streaming-service-is-releasing-its-own-ai-generated-songs-and-its-on-course-to-host-over-200000-of-them/ If ever concerned about being an overlooked drop in the tsunami of home-produced music, we will all soon be obliterated by AI output available to any John Doe who can type, while also being consigned to TOTAL anonymity by the self-serving interests of the streaming platforms. On the plus side, I still love making music. If the electricity is ever turned off, I can still happily enjoy myself on acoustic guitar Greg

A charming song and video ... well done 👍

Hi. Great to see you've joined the Music Video Club 👍 Hope to hear the story of the making of any of your videos. Greg

That's generally been my mode too. Once I have a few lines, I try to get the music/rhythm to lift them. The music/rhythm then helps to shape the lyrics further and vice-versa. On rare occasion the music arrives first without trying to fit it. But when noodling on guitar, a common or unusual phrase comes to mind and fits perfectly. The music + phrase then they form a base from which to progress. The hardest part for me (regarding avoiding tropes) is the change-up to the next section ... the V chord, the parallel minor, key change, pitch change, etc. ... everything has already been done a million times.

I'm the last person to think I understand the music industry! But here are TWENTY-TWO sources. The first few I've read contain some really interesting numbers and stats that I haven't seen compiled elsewhere. https://musically.com/2022/12/01/best-data-music-industry-2022/ Cheers, Greg

Hi. I thought I'd kick off a few Polls. While 'Lyric Critique' is by far the most popular Topic, I thought I'd start off with areas of personal interest to me ... 'Songwriting' here plus 'Production and Recording' (see that Topic to contribute to that Poll). This Poll will close automatically at Midnight on Dec 31 and, as far as I can see, it is anonymous. It's the first Poll I've created using the limited tool options available here on the Songstuff site ... but it is no Survey Monkey! E.g. it doesn't allow for freeform text or numbers to be entered. The results are shown live and updated automatically after each person completes it. If it works well, then it can perhaps be done each year to gauge how the site is performing and how the Membership is faring with creating music. If you feel there are 'questions of general interest' missing (for THIS TOPIC area only), please post them here. I can add them to the list for future repeats? But let's wait and see how this one works out! Cheers, Greg

Noted - thanks. Will add to the template for the future.

Well done! It sounds like a great niche business doing something you obviously REALLY enjoy. And it's always a great buzz when people show improvement under your tutelage. 👍

Hi. I thought I'd kick off a few Polls. While 'Lyric Critique' is by far the most popular Topic, I thought I'd start off with areas of personal interest to me ... 'Production and Recording', and also 'Songwriting'. This Poll will close automatically at Midnight on Dec 31 and, as far as I can see, it is anonymous. It's the first Poll I've created using the limited tool options available here on the Songstuff site ... but it is no Survey Monkey! It doesn't allow for freeform text or numbers to be entered. I don't know how the results will present, to whom, or when (although a DAW Poll a few years back seemed to give comprehensive results). But, if available only to me, I promise to make them available to everyone. If it works well, then it can be done each year to gauge how the site is performing and how the Membership is faring with producing music. If you feel there are 'questions of general interest' missing (for THIS TOPIC area only), please post them here. I can add them to the list for future repeats and perhaps the evolving Poll could be re-run by the site admins at the end of each year? But let's wait and see how this one works out! Cheers, Greg